A switching device such as this, for example a non-contacting position switch or circuit breaker, can be used for a wide range of applications both in the industrial field and in the private field. The switching device generally interacts with one or more signal transmitters which, possibly, may be movable or capable of being shielded. The communication between the signal transmitter and the switching device is in this case non-contacting, that is to say without the use of cables.
Typical fields of application are automation, protection and monitoring.
EP 0 998 042 A2 discloses a switching device which operates in a non-contacting manner and has a sensor head, with the sensor head being joined to a holder such that they rotate. A holding mandrel which is required for this purpose on the rotating surface of the sensor head is provided with a circumferential groove. The sensor head can be adjusted by rotating it partially about an axis. The positioning problem for the coupling element is implemented by a diagonally split enclosure in the form of a cube, in which the coupling element, which is generally in the form of a sensor coil, is located. A multiplicity of spatial directions can be implemented by complex plug rearrangement and screw reconnection.
Alternatively, it is possible to use a plurality of coupling elements, that is to say coils, although a plurality of side lobes must be accepted.